The disorder now has an official name - shift work sleep disorder (SWSD.) Symptoms include insomnia, excessive sleepiness, trouble with concentration and a lack of energy. [p[ About 6 million Americans work night or rotating shifts. For some, it causes no or very few problems. Approximately ten percent, however, suffer from SWSD. For those people, the effects can be devastating.
During a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the medication Provigil (modafinil) proved beneficial in helping to control SWSD.
Those taking Provigil were more alert and suffered from less sleepiness than those given the placebo. Lapses in attention, that condition that can lead to mistakes and accidents, was reduced and a high percentage experienced an improvement in these areas.
Provigil is already in use in the treatment of narcolepsy. It's also used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness for those with sleep apnea. Now it may prove a boon to those few who suffer from SWSD. Another group that may find it helpful are long-distance truck drivers. Falling asleep at the wheel ihas become a major problem and costs lives and thousands of dollars in propery damage.
Provigil appears to be well tolerated and has few side effects. In some people it may cause headache, nausea and dizziness, Provigil is a product of Cephalon Inc. {p}One thing to remember when taking Provigil to combat sleepiness - the medication treats only the sleepiness, but not the underlying cause. Make sure your doctor has identified what lies behind that sleepiness. Shift work, as we know, can cause this condition. However, if shift work is not involved, seek out the underlying cause, whether it's narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or some other disorder, and get treatment
